


Before you go. Please. Just talk to him one more time

by StariNights



Series: A-Z Newsies Prompt List [2]
Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: AND GAY, Canon Era, First Kiss, Hurt/Comfort, I litterally have no clue what to tag, Internalized Homophobia, Just read it i promise it's pretty good, Kinda, M/M, Tumblr Prompt, be safe, but still, idk - Freeform, like p minor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-24 00:44:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17090873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StariNights/pseuds/StariNights
Summary: // "If you're going somewhere and it turns out not to be the right place, you can always go somewhere else," she pulled him out to arm's length to look him in the eye "But if you're running away, nowhere is ever the right place."Before Jack could say anything else, they heard a clang from the catwalk. "There you are!" Jack turned to see none other than Davey Jacobs leaning over the rail "Jesus, mind lettin' a pal know you're alive!" //(aka in which Jack angsts and pines and Davey is both frustrated and in love)





	Before you go. Please. Just talk to him one more time

Jack was packed and ready to go. Both of his two outfits were packed in a small suitcase and his cap sat neatly on his head. He didn't have anything else to take with him, but he guessed there were perks to traveling light.

Miss Medda looked at him with a sad smile, "You know, I hate to see ya go." 

He shrugged, eyes trained on the floor, "yeah well, I's gotta."

She crossed the room to give him a tight hug "Just promise me you're going somewhere, not just running' away"

He shrugged her off, but turned back to hug her again only a few seconds later "What's it matter?" he asked into her shoulder.

"If you're going somewhere and it turns out not to be the right place, you can always go somewhere else," she pulled him out to arm's length to look him in the eye "But if you're running away, nowhere is ever the right place."

Before Jack could say anything else, they heard a clang from the catwalk. "There you are!" Jack turned to see none other than Davey Jacobs leaning over the rail "Jesus, mind lettin' a pal know you're alive!" 

When he turned away to run downstairs, Medda gave Jack a knowing look, "At least talk to him one last time before you go" she squeezed his shoulder "You owe both of you that much" Then she left, giving Davey a winning smile as they crossed paths.

So then Jack was alone with Davey. Wonderful. Just grand.

"Where have you been, me an' the fellas have been looking everywhere for you!" Jack scoffed, pretending to be busy with his paint brushes so he wouldn't have to look him in the eye.

"Eva think I didn't wanna be found? Jeez, where's a fella gotta go ta get a little peace and quiet?" He complained, jabbing the (unused) paintbrush into the cup of (clean) water.

"Ya can't escape me, pal, I'm inevitable" Davey walked around and shoved a paper in his face "But look at this, we're on the front page, above the fold. Oh yes, above," he paused for dramatic effect "The fold," he said, unfolding to paper to show Jack that they were in fact above the fold. He grinned excitedly, pulling the paper close to his chest. It made Jack's heart swell in a way that he didn't quite understand.

"Good for you," Jack said dismissively, trying to walk around him.

"Oh come on Jackie!" Davey seemed frustrated. Part of Jack felt bad, the other half was satisfied. Jack was frustrated too.

"Davey, every newsie who could walk was sellin' today-" He whirled around to see Davey closer then he was prepared for and cut himself off.

"And I was right out there with 'em!" Davey deflated a little, looking down "I don't work my family don't eat"

Jack sighed "Look I get it, it's hopeless!" he tried to walk around him again, but Davey grabbed him by the elbow and pulled him back.

"But then I saw this look on weasel's face, we've got 'em scared Jack. I threw away my papers, and a lot of other boys did too!" Davey was really close to Jack now, and he was looking at him with such earnest that it made him feel things he wasn't quite ready to face so he yanked his arm away and took a huge step back.

"I ain't puttin' them kids back in danger, Dave!" he tried to ignore the way Davey flinched when he raised his voice. 

Davey narrowed his eyes "Tell me how quitting does Crutchie any good," Jack sputtered and Davey cut him off by raising his hand, "Exactly, look, when we win we'll tell 'em to let Crutchie go, or we'll keep at it," He took a step closer "And we will win, Jack"

Jack scoffed "How can you's knows that? Last I checked we got our asses kicked."

Davey grabbed his arm again and Jack felt heat creep up his neck "think about it, Jackie. Why would they send the goons and the bulls and all them if they weren't scared!" 

Jack felt his resolve crack, just a bit "I means, maybe but-" Davey held a finger to his lips and jack just knew his face was beet red, though Davey seemed to be completely oblivious to what he was doing to Jack. 

"No buts, Jackie. We've got Pulitzer in a corner!" He was absolutely buzzing with excitement and determination, and Jack knew he wasn't going to be able to argue with him, not when he was looking at Jack with that face of his. 

"Yeah, yeah okay, Maybe you's got a point," he pushed Davey's hand away from his face and Davey let go of his arm "so what's our next move?" 

Davey positively lit up and Jack couldn't help but stare as he launched into his big plan for a huge newsie rally, after working hours so no one would lose any money.

Maybe they could win this thing,

~~~~~~~~~ 

"Is you's tryin' ta bribe me, Mista Pulitzer?" Jack narrowed his eyes at the older man in front of him, "Sorry but I don't do bribes." 

Mister Pulitzer threw his hands in the air "I'm giving you the opportunity of a lifetime here, you could walk away with no criminal record and enough money in your pockets to get you from here to New Mexico!" With every word he took another threatening step towards Jack "I'm being generous to you. I won't be so kind to your friends. What of that little-crippled boy eh?" 

Jack clenched his fists at the mention of Crutchie "You can't-"

"What about your selling partner, what was his name? Davey? What will happen to his poor family if he ends up in the refuge, hm?" the way Jack face contorted in anger was all the confirmation Pulitzer needed to know he'd struck a nerve.

"You wouldn't dare-" Jack took a threatening step towards the older man but Pulitzer raised his hand to signal for the Delancey brothers to step forward and jerk Jack back by the crook of his arm and drag him into the basement.

As Jack made himself of comfortable as he could on the old printing press he thought of any way he could get out of this...

Then he thought about the look on Davey's face when he showed him their mugs in the papers, and the way he absolutely lit up telling Jack about the rally. But then he thought about Les and Sarah, and about how Davey could actually die in the refuge and his made was made up.

He decided that he wasn't going to let anything happen to Davey, no matter much it would hurt to see all those plans go to waste.

~~~~~~~~

Jack slammed his fist into the railing of the fire escape.

He'd betrayed the newsies. He'd ruined the rally and worst of all? Pulitzer hadn't kept his promise. Medda's theater was swarming with bulls by the time he left. He couldn't help the anxiety rising in his throat as he thought about his boys not making it out of there in one piece.

A clang from the ladder behind him dragged him out of his thoughts. He whipped around just in time to see someone with a head of black curls heave himself onto Jack's Personal penthouse. 

"Thought I'd find you here" Davey's voice was cold and distant, it felt too much like the first time they'd spoken and it made Jack's heart clench painfully.

"Why'd ya follow me?" He asked, not meeting his eyes.

"Because I think I deserve to know what the fuck that was." He hissed furiously, taking a step towards Jack "Because you just threw away all our hard work for what? A bit of cash?"

Jack clenched his fists, nails digging painfully into his palm "It wasn't for the money Dave, god ya thinks I'd sell out you and the fellas just for a wad a' cash?" he said quietly, staring intently at his shoes. He didn't think he could handle seeing the betrayal he heard in his voice on Davey's face.

"Then why?" He sounded exasperated, and Jack didn't have to look up to know he was waving his arms around like he did when he got too excited or too frustrated, "Why sell us out? Why ruin all of our hard work? After everything we've been through? After everything we've sacrificed, what could he have done to make you just give us up like that? What did you do it for?"

Jack finally broke "You, Davey!" he jerked his head up to look Davey in the eye "I did it for you" his voice cracked on the word 'you' and he felt like it really highlighted how pathetic he felt.

Davey looked lost, "What?"

"He threatened ta throw you in tha refuge and I- I couldn't let 'im do that to ya, Dave," he wrapped his arms around himself and he hated how small he felt, "I couldn't let you get hurt."

"Jack we've all gotten hurt. We're part of a revolution for Christ's sake, that's just inevitable" He stepped towards Jack and put his hands on his shoulders and squeezed, "You weren't scared of getting hurt before, you shouldn't be now that we're closer than ever"

"Yeah but you don know the refuge like I's do," Jack felt his chest tighten when he thought about those terrifying conditions, about the drawings he had tucked away of the atrocities he saw, "and I can't let you get thrown in there because a' me" 

"But why?" he asked again and Jack forced himself to look him in the eye.

"Cus maybe I- Maybe I care about ya a lil' more than I's should, a'ight?" his voice was barely above a whisper but he knew Davey caught every word.

"I care about you too, Jackie, all the fellas do-" Jack cut him off.

"Not like that, Dave I mean-" he took a deep breath and a step back "I mean ya make me feel things I prolly shouldn't"

"What'd you..." Realization dawned on Davey's face before he even finished his sentence "talking about..."

"Look, Davey, I'm sorry-" Jack another step back "I- I ain't gonna act on it or nothin', an' ya don't even gotta be me pal afta this but-" 

He was cut off by a pair of surprisingly soft lips on his and calloused hands cupping his face. When he finally processed that yes Davey was, in fact, kissing him he sunk into the other boy and brought one hand up to cover Davey's while the other looped around his waist, pulling him impossibly closer.

When Davey pulled back he was only an inch away from Jack's face, and he could feel Davey's breath ghosting his lips as he spoke "I care about you too" 

Jack pulled him into another kiss, screwing up his eyes and putting all his recent fears and frustrations into it.

When they broke apart again Davey was grinning, "So, you gonna help us win this strike? Kath said she had an idea that could get us over the finish line"

Jack nodded "I'm with ya', all the way"

As Davey made his way back down the ladder Jack couldn't help but call out to him again, "You ain't gonna leave me when this is over, are ya?"

Davey gave him a confused look before pulling himself back up onto the fire escape "What? Of course not why-

"I ain't dumb Davey, boys like you don't end up with guys like me. Hell, they don't end up with guys at all" he couldn't help the insecurities that crept into his voice. 

Davey gave him a soft, affectionate smile and crossed the fire escape again to grab Jack's hand "I told you before and I'll tell ya' again. You can't escape me, pal, I'm inevitable."

Jack grinned and kissed him one last time before they would finish the strike for good, "good," he said, forgetting all about Santa Fe and his old plans of escape, "cause I don't think you're getting rid a' me either"

**Author's Note:**

> hhhhhhhhhhhhhhh im tired when will i ever not update at three am.
> 
> Anywhoo, as always you can yell at me or request things on on tumblr @allthenewsiesaregay-bitch


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